Update: Nintendo has now officially confirmed the Wii Mini on its website and also confirmed a $99.99 price point. But, and we have no idea why they thought this was a good idea: it’s also exclusive to Canada. Surely that won’t last long?
Yesterday there was a rumour doing the rounds that Nintendo was set to release a brand new version of the Wii console called the Wii Mini. The new machine would be significantly smaller than the current Wii, is expected to ship with a Wii Remote Plus, Nunchuk, and Sensor Bar, and hopefully carries a much lower (sub-$100) price. I also said I’d like to see a game thrown in the pack, too.
Well, it looks as though this wasn’t just a rumor. Best Buy Canada has the image you see above visible on its homepage along with confirmation of the December 7 release date. Unfortunately, clicking on the image does not lead to a page full of details about the Wii Mini.
If the image is correct, though, then the Wii Mini is indeed a smaller unit. Just look at its proportions next to the Wii Remote Plus in the image. I’d guess the new machine measures just 157 x 170mm, with a depth probably similar to the existing Wii. That 157mm width would match the current console, with the space saving coming from the depth (currently 215mm).
If that’s final packaging, then it doesn’t look as though Nintendo has included a first-party game in the box, which is unfortunate. However, if the price is very low then retailers will surely offer discounted games with a Wii Mini purchase and still make it a tempting deal.
Would a cheap Wii Mini tempt you into a purchase? If so, how cheap would it need to be?
Best Buy Canada, via CVG
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